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Film noir was an important innovation of cinema that had a lasting influence on both cinema past and present and the motion picture industry as a whole. The answer to this seemingly simple question, of what is film noir? is actually particularly complex. In answering it I must analyse many contrasting factors. I will investigate the main theoretical debates on what makes a film - noir, investigating the critics perceptions on the subject, analysing the phenomenon as a definition, a generic construct, a stylistic construct, and a thematic construct identifying if any of these terms identify exactly what film noir is. I will also analyse four of Humprey Bogarts early films which have been identified as being film noir, in terms of character, style, techniques and themes to see if they provide an insight into what makes a film noir, as well as looking at the influence of the pulp fiction novels of the thirties and early forties, the German émigré influence, the social and historical significance, and finally at the innovators of film noir and their influence upon the phenomenon that is film noir. Ultimately gaining some insight into exactly what makes a film - noir. .
The first aspect that I must address is where did the term Film Noir' originate. The term came from French critics who in post-war France had the opportunity to see a lot of American films, so they noticed the similarities between them. The French film critics termed these films Film Noir. The name was taken from a type of literature, which was similar in content to film noir called roman noir, which was dark literature. So the name came into existence, it literally means dark film. Which is fairly descriptive of what film noir is.
A dark film is probably the most concise a definition of this type of cinema that has ever been offered. Various theorists and critics attempted to define what film noir was. Meaning of film noir as metaphysical rather than social, and as dealing with angst and loneliness as essential elements of the human condition.

Essays Related to What is film noir

These movies, known as film noir, looked at the darker side of human nature and were marked by a distrustful, fatalistic view of the world. ... Life was rough, and the classic film noirs reflected this. ... Classic film noir developed during and after World War II, taking advantage of the post-war ambience of anxiety, pessimism, and suspicion in America. Film noir acted as a "dark mirror" to post-war America and reflected its moral anarchy of the "American dream". ... A second representation of paranoia and entrapment in film noir is Billy Wilder's Double Indemnity ...

In his essay, "Notes on Film Noir," Paul Schrader, who wrote the "Taxi Driver" screenplay, outlines his view of film noir as a genre. ... Schrader discusses the effects of war and postwar disillusionment as it pertains to film noir. ... This character is what is condemned and represented by Travis. ... Travis's schizophrenia is the extreme manifestation of a phenomenon Schrader sees in what he calls the third phase, of film noir, the one to which "Taxi Driver" is most closely related: "the forces of personal disintegration are reflected in these films (Schrader 62). ... All these elemen...

Film Noir Film noir is said to have begun in 1919 with Robert Wiene's film, The Cabinet of Dr. ... The ideas of dark shadows and dramatic scenery and costumes carry on throughout the topic of film noir and are what make it unique. Film noir is unique in comparison to other film genres in history. ... All these factors go along side with what events were happening at the time of their production. ... Film noir is based around anxiety. ...

As the way I understand it film noir is not a genre, but rather a style or tone of a film. ... Film noir is marked by expressionistic lighting and skewed camera angles. The interior camera shots are often filmed with low-key lighting, and what gives film noir away, are the Venetian blinds hanging in the windows. ... A film that was shown in class called Double Indemnity fits many of the noir characteristics, and is recognized as one of the great noir films. ... The classic noir film Double Indemnity differs a great deal from the gangster film The Public Enemy. ...

The most apparent aspect of visual style in film noir is the conflict between light and dark. ... The darkness of Film Noir can be seen in the style of the films and most obviously in the lighting used. ... Traditionally lights were placed in what is called a "three-quarter lighting" set-up. ... Another unusual aspect of the lighting in film noir was that night shots were actually filmed at night. ... What is most remarkable is that even though it was obviously more costly to shoot night scenes at night nearly every noir film, even down to the low budget "B" films, did so as it became a fu...

What atmosphere and message is the film conveying? "The Maltese Falcon" is considered to be a classic film noir. Based on the film's characters and cinematography, what aspects of the movie are clear representations of film noir? Draw information on the characteristic features of film noir from the module "Crime Culture in Fiction and Film" as well. ... Outlining the aspects and characteristics of this film, reviewing the power point, and lecture video prior to my analysis attributed to what I feel is a much more in depth knowledge of film noir and how the era is portrayed throughout t...

One example of this in film noir is Double Indemnity. ... Film noir features many films with murderous wives that seduce men to get what they want. ... She was always up to speed on what he needed, and what she had to do for him. ... Crime and Corruption were often the main focus of film noir. ... Film noir portrayed what America was going through during America Post-War and the Depression of the 1930's. ...

The fascinating aspect of Sunset Boulevard is the film noir narrative that is presented. A film noir is basically a term in cinema that is used primarily to describe "stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and sexual motivations.... Another feature that contributes to the film noir characteristic of Sunset Boulevard are the visuals. ... What this does is that it generates textures of obscure shadows, which is a definite characteristic of film noirs. ... Lastly, the setting of Norma's house is characteristic of a film noir. ...

When it's done, you have a "film noir." Classic film noir has many characteristics. ... This film is widely accepted as the first bona fide film noir. ... All in all, this film is a great example of the film noir variety. ... It is clear that Haines is the hero or protagonist, even though he seems like a weak man at first, not knowing what to do and panicking about what Anthony will do. ...